


Drabbles for Zootopia and Beyond

by HerAld_90



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Allegory, Ambiguous Character Death, Arguing, Attempt at Humor, Camping, Comedy, Drabble, Drabble Collection, F/F, F/M, First time for everything, Fluff, Gen, Horror, Humor, M/M, Multi, Police Brutality, Politics, Sad, Speciesism, everything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-14
Updated: 2018-06-05
Packaged: 2018-09-08 13:58:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 93
Words: 11,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8847739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HerAld_90/pseuds/HerAld_90
Summary: Not all stories are big, city-saving affairs. Some stories are intimate embraces, long-awaited reunions, moments of horror, and moments of joy. This is where those go.Short drabbles and flash fics of 100 to 300 words. Some will be in-canon with the Better World series, some won't. Rating will probably range from Everyone to Mature, but never Explicit. Not sure how often this will get updated. Consider it a small apology for taking so long with the third part of the Better World trilogy.





	1. The Tragedy in the Snow

Tundratown, early Friday morning.

Nick's shout from the cruiser's passenger seat nearly sent them off the road. Judy pulled over, watching her fox throw himself out his door. She had to stand on her toes to see what Nick saw.

At the bottom of the icy incline lay Finnick's van, half submerged in last night's snowfall.

Judy's paws worked on autopilot. "Dispatch, this is Car 4. Immediate medical assistance needed at quarter-mile down Donner's Way."

"Roger that."

Through the windshield, Nick could already be seen trudging back up the incline, cold-weather coat off and wrapped around something small and still.


	2. First Christmas

Nick nearly stayed on the train. He saw Bonnie and Stu on the platform and froze, every thought foretelling tragedy. Only Judy’s smile kept him moving into the falling snow.

In a blink, the pair were hugging him fierce, all smiles and trust. “It’s wonderful to finally have you here, Nicholas,” said Bonnie, voice sincere.

“Come on, son,” said Stu, hefting Judy’s luggage toward the truck. “Let’s get these in the back.”

Suddenly warm all inside, Nick hefted his own case and followed along. “Thanks for having me, Mr. and Mrs. Hopps.”

The snow fell. Judy kept smiling beside him.


	3. Too Far

"Bucky? Buck? Please open up."

No response came from beyond the door. The sounds of crying had ended hours ago. Sniffling, Pronk knocked again. His knuckles were raw, his knees aching where he knelt. "I'm sorry… s-so sorry!"

A sound. Pronk looked, saw the Bunny and the Fox paused halfway down the hall. Eyes met. The pair fled. Pronk watched them go, then turned and slammed a fist against the door. "Bucky, PLEASE! I'm s-so-sorry! It'll never happen again! I promise!"

The door opened. There, Bucky, eyes red but dry. Pronk quailed from the suitcase clenched tight in both hands.


	4. A Bad Case of Bed Hare

Knock knock knock.

"Mmh..." Judy turned over, face planting into pillow.

Knock knock knock!

Head throbbing, she whined for the noise to go away. “Ssshhtoooo early…”

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!**

“Mercy,” Judy cried. Her ears twitched as she silently vowed never to go drinking with Finnick again.

"Judy! Are you in there? Stu, do you think we got the wrong date?"

"No no," slurred Judy, yawning as she flopped onto her back. "Ssspare key... under mat..."

It took hearing the key turning in the lock to notice two vital details: her nakedness, and the fox sprawled out in bed with her.


	5. Pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies regarding the subject matter today, for anyone who has suffered this kind of pain. It's a personal fear I'm having to deal with right now, and I just... needed to express it some way.

God-damn cancer.

Judy sat alone in the sea of bunnies, bunnies watching their mother, their sister, their aunt, their niece, wasting away.

“It’s go-going to be okay,” said Bonnie, voice a cracking whisper. “I love you all. It’s going to be okay. Y-you’re going to be okay…”

Fur gone from chemo, maternal strength sapped by every poison dreamed up by mammalkind, skin crisscrossed by a hundred scars from a hundred digging, slicing, scooping knives. They could do nothing now but watch.

“Mu-mi-mind Stu… please…”

Some wept, some remained silent. Judy had become a statue, wishing for her fox.

God-damn cancer.


	6. Happy Birthday

"SURPRISE!"

Judy jumped her own height from the shout, then gaped at the bullpen. There were McHorn and Rhinowhitz holding up a balloon-decorated banner, and the Fangmeyers presenting cakes fit for a Hopps family reunion. Clawhauser and Bogo stood before stacks of wrapped presents from the whole ZPD. Francine tended the punch bowl, while Wolford strung up a piñata.

Nick stood at the front of the group, smiling and nervous. “So, I know this is impromptu, but… Happy Birthday, Fluff.”

"Oh, guys...” Judy bit her lip, failing to keep the amused exasperation out of her voice. “My birthday's next week."


	7. Too Much

_Noodles. Lettuce. Bread. Apples. Grapes. Beer. Lightbulbs for new apart—_

Another hand on the last box, touching his. Pronk retreated, apology already half-said when he recognized Bucky, just as startled. Then Bucky straightened, expression cooling. "Hello, Pronk."

"H-hi, Buck..." He tried not looking at the kudu's bruised chin. “You… doing okay?”

“Passable. Book progressing well?”

Pronk blushed. “Er… it’s coming along…” What he wanted to say was “I’m sorry.”

A strangled moment passed. Bucky sighed. "Go on."

Pronk obeyed, hurrying to escape the way he'd come. Reaching aisle's end, he heard behind him "Who’s that, babe?"

"N-nobody, just... old friend."


	8. Nick's Girlfriend Thinks Judy is Hot

Judy stared at the grey fox across the kitchen table. The vixen, Romilda, stared back. Nick, beside Romilda, stared longingly at the nearest window.

"You... think I'm what?"

"Hot," responded Romilda, a blush in her voice and cheeks.

"Oh." Judy looked between the two foxes, found no help in Nick's nervous twitching. "I'm... flattered, but I couldn't break you two—"

"We don't mind sharing," added Romilda.

Nick looked in the midst of a stroke. Judy blushed. "You two are cute..."

"Oh God," groaned Nick. "Where's my say?"

"In your pocket," said Judy, smirk turning sultry, "happy to see us."


	9. Star Trunk

"You've never watched Star Trunk!?"

Nick looked back at Judy blankly, frowning. "Carrots, I had bigger concerns growing up, like supporting family. Movies and TV? Unnecessary expenses."

At once the nerdy indignation fled her features, replaced by shame. Of course. She had been trying so hard to be better, and Nick said she was, but it seemed she always found a new little cut to make. "Oh, oh Nick, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking and—"

"Now that I actually have some disposable income," continued Nick, grabbing the TV remote to pull up Netflix, "where do we start, my geeky little bunny?"


	10. Angry and Cruel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am going to get so much hate for this one. Possibly the most evil Zootopia drabble of all time.

There was a shout, something angry and cruel. Then a clap of thunder, driving the air from Clawhauser's chest. Screams filled the ZPD lobby as every cop in sight tackled the ram to the floor. Clawhauser watched, breathless, not understanding. There had been a car backfiring somewhere, or a wreck. Someone needed help.

Suddenly Bogo beside him, screaming something as his hooves worked at the buttons on Clawhauser's uniform shirt. Clawhauser watched, dazed, mesmerized by the growing patch of red against the blue.

“It’s like when I… bit down on that jelly donut too hard…"

“Clawhauser, stay with me! Ben!”


	11. Bunny Proposal

Bonnie stood at the sink and stared at the fox beside her, uncertain she heard right. "I'm sorry, dear, what was that?"

Nick kept drying the dish in his paws, a nervous glance toward the door to the burrow's main den saying more than a hundred words to a practiced mother. "How uh, how do rabbits... propose?"

Bonnie followed his glance, saw Judy reading to some kits on a couch, and smiled. "Oh, it’s not too hard, dear. A ring, a bent knee, the usual."

"The usual," said Nick, smiling now as he took the next plate to dry. "Right."


	12. First Christmas, Part Deux

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays!

_“Hi, Mom! Sorry this is getting to you so late! I had a pretty late night with Nick and Marian, heh. Hoping you didn’t worry too much, and thanks again for giving your blessing on me spending Christmas with them this year._

_“I’m not sure if it’s a predator thing, a fox thing, or just a Wilde thing, but it was so different from how we Hoppses celebrate. Going caroling is just impractical with so many bunnies, so that was a fun first. Christmas dinner had a lot of fish, but also this amazing cake thing they called a Yule Log. Will get the recipe from Marian for you. No quiet hymn time, which bummed me a little, but there’s always next year. Oh, and Christmas crackers! These little tube things that—well, I’ll bring some over next time._

_“Give everyone my love! Merry Christmas! And a Happy New Year!”_


	13. Too Loving

**Knock knock knock.**

"Just a minute!" Pronk hurried to open the door, pizza cash in hand. "Man, you got here..."

Bucky looked awful. Fat lip, bruised eye, suitcase clenched like a shield. "H-hey, Pronk. May I—"

Pronk dragged him in without comment, slamming the door behind. Soon they were at the table, a bag of frozen peas pressed against the bruised eye. Neither said anything. Pronk didn't know if fear or anger made his hands shake.

"Missed you," said Bucky after several silent minutes.

Eyes met as Pronk lifted the frozen peas to check the swelling. "Missed you too."


	14. Scars

They were entwined on the couch one Saturday night, watching some cooking show, when Nick asked the question. "What's the story with the scars?"

Judy stayed silent a moment, debating whether to say and how much. "I... It was stupid, you know? Just one of those stupid fights kids get into. I was 9. He was trying to take my friend's fair tickets away. I stopped him, but..."

Slowly Nick shifted around her, reaching out his left paw to trace the lines of Judy’s cheek, claws extended through fur. "Damn foxes," he growled after a minute, and Judy's heart broke.


	15. Chance

Chance, nothing more.

That morning, Katherine Purdoe had received a call that her job interview was moved three hours up. Hardly enough time to shower and dress before leaving.

Judy Hopps had slept in, recovering from a cold. She skipped breakfast, running for the bus stop.

“Good luck, hun,” Katherine’s boyfriend had mumbled from the bed.

“Waiting on ya, Carrots,” Nick had commented from her voicemail.

New construction made Katherine swerve. Her coffee slipped, splattering her front. 2nd-degree burns and screaming.

New construction had closed off the nearest stop, so Judy ran for the next. All traffic and pedestrian laws obeyed, routine, safe.

The car hit with the force of a rhino. Bone turned to powder, muscles tore, organs burst. Judy flew half a block before landing, her last thoughts worried for Nick.

Katherine Purdoe hadn't meant to kill anyone, and Judy Hopps hadn't meant to die.

Chance, nothing more.


	16. How Lewd

"Carrots, I'm telling you, it's too big!"

"Hold on... I got it... urf..."

"You're gonna hurt yourself. I mean it, you’re going to strain a muscle, trying to stretch—Judy!”

"Just... a bit... more... dang it! It's all limp now!"

"S'what happens when you take too long, Fluff. Maybe if you’d been content to take a little bit at a time and savor the experience, instead of trying to stuff that whole thing inside in one go…"

Judy dropped the half-eaten tofu and marinara sub back on her plate and huffed. Around them the rest of the diner gaped, speechless.


	17. Boyfriend

"Remember, Stu, when Judy gets off that train, be supportive!"

"Ohhh, of course I'm gonna be supportive, Bon! She finally found a guy!"

"It's just, I know how you are regarding foxes..."

"That's all behind me. Besides, Nick's a fine lad. Funny, loyal, smart—"

“Careful! She doesn’t know we guessed! It’s supposed to be a surprise!”

“But it’s so obvious—”

"Hush, here she comes! Oh, and... huh?"

"Mom! Dad!" Judy bounded over, hugging both. At their dumbfounded expressions she giggled and gestured to the cheetah stepping up beside her, smiling nervously. "Mom, Dad, this is Ben, my... boyfriend."


	18. Comeuppance

“You beat my husband.”

Taz LeBuck looked up from his magazine to stare at the oryx blocking his beach sun. “Pardon, Little Doe?”

Pronk folded his arms and kept his glare. “My husband, Bucky. You beat him. A lot.”

Taz made a show of thinking. “Hmm… scrawny kudu, stupid, disrespectful? Feh. You can have the loser back”

Pronk’s fists clenched. “He’s not a loser, you rutter! He’s a journalist, and an amateur baker, and twice a week we’d go to Mystic Spring, and—”

Taz threw his magazine down and stood, the elk towering over Pronk, shoving him back. “He was a dumbass doe with a mouth on him! Who the hell cares if I decided to teach that scat some respect!?”

“Unsurprisingly, my partner and I do.”

Pronk wished he had a camera to capture the elk’s face at the sight of Officers Hopps and Wilde right behind him.


	19. Sick Day

Beeeep... Beeeep... Beee--click.

"He-hello?"

"Hi, Gideon! It's Bonnie, Bonnie Hopps. I was just calling to make sure everything is okay. Your store's closed!"

"O-oh, right. Sorry, I'm awfully under the weather, I thought it best if I take a day. You don't mind none, do ya, Mrs. Hopps?"

"Gideon Grey, how dare you ask me that! We’re friends! You take all the time you need to feel better. I'll send over Billie with some soup later."

"Aw shucks, Mrs. Hopps, you're an angel. And um... thanks. You know, for everything..."

"No thanks necessary, sweetie. You take care now, bye!"


	20. What a Nerd

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goodness me, 20 of these already? How the time flies.

Judy hadn’t meant to go snooping through Nick’s room. She’d been flopped on the ground, waiting for his return from the store, and noticed the box under his bed. Her conscience held for a moment…

“Oh God, those old things.”

Judy looked up at the fox from where she sat on his bed, box on lap. He didn’t look bothered, only amused, so she started shifting through the books again. “ _John Catter of Mars_? _The Swords of Lankhmar_? The Helliconia Trilogy? _The Stars My Destination_? Never took you for such a reader, Nick.”

Nick joined her on the bed, smiling nostalgically as he retrieved _The Lathe of Heaven_. “Eh, growing up, books were cheap, durable, you could bonk a mugger upside the head with them…”

Judy giggled, sidling closer and wrapping an arm around his. “Read me a little?”

Raising an eyebrow, Nick shrugged and flipped to the first page.


	21. The Ice Tomb

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been feeling in something of a spooky mood lately. Expect the next few stories to have a bit of a horror theme to them.

Nothing got the body moving like the screams of children. Judy tore out of the house like the Devil himself was nipping at her heels, mind tumbling with nightmare scenarios as she ran across the farm for the ice-skating pond, heedless of the snow biting her feet. Ice broken, kits freezing, drowning, bleeding.

Judy found none of this when she arrived. Instead she found kits huddled along the shore, gaping at the pond and shivering. She hurried over, eyes drawn to the spot of ice they seemed so focused on. A rabbit's skeleton grinned back at her through the ice.


	22. The Hole

"What d'ya think's down there?"

Sharla's voice was sheep-meek to Judy. The two of them and Bobby Catmull knelt around a hole south of the swimming pond. It was full of shadows.

"How deep ya think it goes?"

Bobby dropped a rock in. A minute passed. No echo returned. "That ain't right."

"Let's... play somewhere else..." The others mumbled agreement to Judy's suggestion. But as they walked away through the woods, hand in hand, she kept looking back to make certain the hole stayed there. Had either of the others asked her why, she wouldn't have been able to answer.


	23. Something Out There

“Judy, I think there’s something out there.”

“You were just complaining how you couldn’t see anything, Slick.”

This was true. It was a foggy night out in the Canal District. Damn foggy. On the lookout for a boat of illicit goods, they could hardly even see the piers across the street. That way for hours. But still…

“I mean it.” Nick craned his neck, following something move in the fog past their cruiser. “I saw something.”

Judy glanced at the rear-view mirror, then quickly over her shoulder. Fog behind them, but also something…

“Let’s… call it a night.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Nick, relaxing back in his seat as Judy started the engine up. He chanced a look out his window and felt a hand close tight around his heart. A scratch ran across his side mirror, clean and deep. It cut his reflection’s head off at the neck.


	24. Scritch

Scritch... Scritch... Scritch... Scritch...

Judy rolled onto her side and pulled her blanket higher. It was a dim, vain hope to block out the noise. That horrid noise. First nights in new homes were supposed to be hard, she repeated, for the third time.

Scritch... Scritch... Scritch... Scritch...

How had she not noticed the tree right against her bedroom window? How had whoever lived there last allowed it to grow so close?

Scritch... Scritch............

Judy sat up at the sudden silence, blankets falling to her lap. Her bedroom window stood open, the split branch reaching in like a grasping hand.


	25. Shopping Trip

"Excuse me, sir, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave the store."

Bonnie almost laughed at the sheep clerk, thinking it a joke. But then she saw her son-in-law close down like Judy had always described, half-lidded eyes and smile like armor as he put back the carton of blueberries he'd been examining and backed up from his cart with both paws visible. Then the fleeting amusement turned to sadness, guilt for her parents and their old corner store (“We don’t want your kind here, fox!), an inkling of her daughter’s daily outrage. "Hold right there, Nick. You have every right to shop here too."

"Mrs. H, no, it's fine. I'll just wait in the car."

“Ma’am,” said the clerk, clearly caught off-guard by her, “There’s really no need to make a fuss over a fox.”

Bonnie squared her shoulders and stood to her full height. “You’re right. Zootopia’s a big place. I’m sure we can shop somewhere better.”

Bonnie grabbed Nick's arm and started for the little store's exit, grocery-filled cart abandoned in the middle of the aisle. Nick’s utter awe and adoration as he hurried to keep up made her feel like a million dollars.


	26. Narc

The teenage doe didn't seem surprised to find Nick waiting in her room, just annoyed as she slung her bookbag onto her bed beside where Nick sat. "To what do I owe this little visit with Big Sis's beau?"

Nick frowned and held up the baggy of sapphire-blue powder he'd found in her desk. She bristled, hurriedly shutting and locking her bedroom door. “Wh-where, how—

Nick tapped his nose. “Lot easier to hide this stuff from rabbits than police-trained foxes, I imagine. Smelled it two floors up.” Then, at her growing look of panic, “Don’t worry, I haven’t told anyone. Yet. Just… tell me why.”

“I just… I…” The doe, Casey, huffed, dragged a paw through her violently purple shock of hair. “I get… scared. New predator students. A bobcat, two wolves, a… a fox. And the stuff, it’s good, there’s hardly any actual Night Howler in it!”

Nick glanced at the bag. “That means more room for stuff you can’t name.”

Casey hung her head, sniffling. “I know…”

Nick sighed, stood, tossed the baggie into the trash bin next to the bed. He rubbed the teenager’s back, smiling as he led her to the door. “I get being small and afraid, trust me. How ‘bout we see if your big sis’s in the mood for a little self-defense lesson, hmm?”

She looked at him uncertainly, hopefully. “And we’ll… keep this between us?”

He shrugged. “If that’s the last bag I ever find around here, then yeah. Just between us.”


	27. And the Adventure Continues

"Check the map again."

"No."

"Check the map again!"

Pronk growled, ripping the impromptu hat from his head and checking it once more. Above, the summer sun roared its dominance. Below, the gravel road whimpered its submission. Caught between, the Oryx-Antlersons and their broken-down rental roasted.

"Nope! Still no idea where we are!" Pronk slapped the map back over his head and glared at Bucky leaning against the car beside him. "Visit Bunnyburrow. It'll be relaxing. It'll be fun! It'll only be a 4 hour trip through 8 HOURS OF NOTHING!"

"Shut up," whined Bucky, tongue out as he panted like a wolf. "Too hot to argue..."

Pronk would have argued that point, if he didn’t agree wholeheartedly. Not that the significant other needed to know. Preening at his seeming victory, Pronk relaxed back against the car and returned to watching the road.

…

…

…

“Check the map again.”


	28. Doppleganger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something I've been meaning to bring up for a while, but kept forgetting. I've officially published my first original fantasy novel! To anyone that might interest, here's a link: http://www.lulu.com/shop/brian-mcnatt/legends-of-heraldale/paperback/product-23020686.html

Nick wasn't sure when Judy had stopped being Judy. He had noticed it one morning out of the blue, as the rabbit walked back to their cruiser from the coffee shop, drinks in hand. Her gait had been off, her violet eyes too light, her arms and legs too long, her teeth too sharp, her fingers too... many.

Nick kept quiet about it, but the thing in Judy's skin seemed to know anyway. He felt her watching him at night when he faked sleep, caught her tampering with his food and drink during feigned inattention, heard her whispering to others with words he couldn’t grasp. How could others not notice? How could they not tell the fakeness?

How?

How!?

HOW!?

Such was why, waiting in front of her apartment door for the thing in Judy’s skin to answer, the emergency fire axe in his hands felt so good, so pure.


	29. Business Partners

Gideon had seen the sheep, pig, and goat trio around town plenty before. At the fair, the grocer’s, the auto shop. Always giving him that Look that all foxes knew. He tried greeting them with the same smile and “Howdy!” all mammals got when they came to his bakery. “Welcome to Gideon Grey’s—”

CRUNCH!

Gideon staggered, arms up to shield his face from the sudden shower of glass. He peaked out, watching the trio smash up display cases with baseball bats, overturn tables, destroying days of hard work baking. He couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, could only watch and whimper.

Then they were looking at him, and Gideon realized he should have run. They advanced and he stepped back, wincing at a glass shard in his foot, almost falling. “Please no, don’t, I get it, I swear, don’t—”

BZZZZZT!

“AAAAAAUUUUUUGH!”

The pig collapsed to the ground, a twitching mess. The goat and sheep turned to see, too slow, receiving jabs to the gut that crackled with lightning, collapsing them.

Gideon gaped at Stu Hopps. The rabbit looked anywhere else, trembling as he stuffed the taser back in his pocket and sized the ruined shop up. When he did look at Gideon his eyes showed concern, regret, fading anger. “I’ll… I’ll give the sheriff a call… some of my kids too, to help… clean up…”

Gideon nodded, not trusting his voice right then. He didn’t cry until Stu hugged him, promising it would be okay. He wanted to believe that.


	30. Some Punching Required

The deer’s smile was as slimy as his slicked-over hair was greasy. He dressed fashionably as he stood on that Savannah Central sidewalk, dark grey coat and scarf and gloves to command attention from passerby as he spoke to the horse reporter and her bear cameraman.

“—and truthfully, I have to ask mammals to stop using that word for me and my movement. It’s a historical term, and it just doesn’t resonate with people today.”

“So what you mean,” said the horse, looking more and more uncomfortable to be there, “is that your ideas aren’t actually any different, it’s simply a branding problem? As if Bellwether’s actions can be made more palatable?”

The deer paused a moment, jaw working as he sought his answer. “What I mean is… it distracts from the real issues mammals should be thinking about. We spend so much effort trying to insure predators have equal rights to us prey, when what we should really be asking is if we really NEED predators to begin with, or—”

The horse reporter, though surprised by the fennec fox flying out of nowhere to punch the deer to the pavement, couldn’t quite find it in herself to feel all that concerned.


	31. Consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An extra-long one today, because some themes need it. This goes out to the readers who made me consider that going with the first, strongest instinct on a situation isn't the best way, that held me up to the highest, most consistent standards, that there's always room for debate. You can't be told how important you are.

“Finnick! Finn, I know you’re in there! Open up!”

The van’s rear doors did open after a several second wait, to Judy’s relief. The dwarf fennec glared down at her, briefly glancing around the alley as if expecting someone else. “No Nick?”

“Wouldn’t come,” said Judy, wishing the red fox had. “Didn’t want to do this. I don’t either, but you know I have to, Fin.”

Finnick crossed his arms. “No, you don’t. I didn’t do nothing wrong.”

Judy gaped, shocked he could say that. “You can’t just… go around punching mammals you disagree with, Finnick. That’s aggravated assault. I have to bring you in.”

He stared at her. “He wants me dead, Hopps.”

“I’m not saying his views aren’t deplorable,” said Judy, wishing there was room in the alley for her to pace and focus her thoughts. “They’re awful, and he’s awful, but it’s still not right!”

He glared at her. “He wants me dead, Hopps!”

“And you haven’t done anything to convince him otherwise!” Judy clenched her fists, barely resisting jumping up into the van to tower once more over the fox like he was doing to her now. “He still wants to do that! He’s still getting news coverage! Mammals are still listening to him, because now he has some justification! Because now a predator really did attack him without provocation!”

“Without provo—” He stopped, mouth working but nothing coming out. Before Judy could ask what was the matter he sagged, the fight seemingly leaving him as he sat down on the edge of the van. “This isn’t like debating taxes, or gun control, or the death penalty, Judy. They get their platform, they get heard, they get power, and I’m DEAD. Nick is DEAD. Period. You really trust Zootopia enough to not let that happen?”

Judy considered the question, really considered it, knowing she owed her friend that much. She bit her lip, finally reaching up to touch her police badge. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t wear this.”

Finnick looked from her face to her badge, sighing as he gave a short nod. “Then I guess I do too.”

He dropped from the van, turning long enough to shut and lock it before giving her his keys. She pocketed them, then together the two headed for Judy’s police cruiser.


	32. Early Morning

Judy awoke in the early morning, that time when the bedside window has just started lightening. She at once recognized the bed’s coldness around her, its emptiness.

"Nick?" she whispered, getting up and slipping on her robe. It wasn't often her fox got up before her. Unless…

She found him in the baby's room, looking into the crib with his head on his palm and a smile on his muzzle. Judy joined him, leaning in as he wrapped an arm around her. They remained there, quiet, caught by the rise and fall of their kit's chest in the early dawn.


	33. My City

There was a moment Judy knew, in her soul, sticking with Zootopia and the ZPD had been the right choice.

It happened Saturday night, a visit to her apartment's roof to tend a little garden there. She looked out on the city and the city looked back. The scent of a hundred eateries, a thousand homes, a chorus of diverse flavors the world over come together in the city, spice on the tongue and sweet on the lips, sour arcing down her back and salty charging up it. Music stormed forth from a club two blocks down, electric Jazz smashing headlong against the rollicking Rock from a car a street away. Buildings stretched on and on, the call of horns a stark caress.

“My city.”


	34. Spaghetti

Nick trudged into his and Judy's new apartment and immediately reeled back from the punch of garlic and herbs straight to his nose. He blinked, closing the door and following the rapturous smell to the kitchen. He found Judy at the stove, stirring a pan of something red and savory. "Uh..."

"Oh! You finished that extra paperwork! Sorry, this was supposed to be a surprise, but had to go for fresh tomatoes..."

Nick had never seen his partner cook anything, nothing beyond cereal and milk. Grinning, he swooped in for a kiss that left the stove unattended for some time.


	35. Pride

To his eternal regret, Nick did not recognize the middle-aged vixen hurrying over to where he, Judy, and a few of his fellow graduates were talking until it was too late. Then she was hugging him, peppering his face with kisses and talking faster than he could properly follow along to. He hugged her back, stiffly, embarrassed but grateful as a chuckling Judy herded the other amused mammals away. Only then was he able to pull back a measure, kissing the vixen on her forehead and smiling down at her. "Hey, Mom. Thanks for making it. It’s been a while."


	36. Graffiti

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING. Dark topics and foul language ahead. Sorry.

DIE, FOX FUCKER!

Judy read the message spray-painted across her door. Read it again. Read it again. Each reading, the red words stabbed her, deep, twisting her heart to mulch.

The thunk of her grocery bags dropping from her hands startled her, made Bucky and Pronk look up from their efforts to scrub the message away. They looked almost guilty. Judy couldn't grasp why until she looked to their apartment door, saw the words there untouched and glaring.

DIE, FAGS!

"Oh... Guys..."

“Sorry,” said Pronk, smiling weakly. “We got used to this sort of… but you shouldn’t have to, just because you like… it didn’t use to be so bad, but lately…”

Judy nodded, swallowing back a sob. She’d noticed the looks aimed her way. The looks aimed Nick’s way. She grabbed a rag from their bucket and set to work, her on their door and they returning to hers.


	37. Creative Liberties

_“This summer, action and romance are an all-new species, in WILDE TIMES! Rated PG-13, viewer discretion advised.”_

The movie trailer ended, leaving Judy and Nick sitting dumbstruck on Judy’s bed, staring with dropped jaws at the laptop in the fox’s lap. Distantly, they could hear Bucky and Pronk laughing through the wall.

“Was that…” Nick paused, mouth working. “Was that a maned wolf playing me?”

“That was definitely a hare playing me,” said Judy.

“Were we really that… ROMANTIC during the Missing Mammal case?”

“Well, we definitely never kissed.”

“How’d they even know about the bridge!?”

“… play it again.”


	38. First Fight

Judy's only regret was that she couldn't scream as loud as she could slam the door in Nick's face. She stood there, facing the expanse of off-white wood, panting and flexing hands that wanted so much to grab something, to strangle someone.

"Nick... Nick... NIIICK!"

She turned, grabbing her body mirror and shattering it against the far wall. The potted sunflower she kept on the window ledge left dirt and dents on her door. The paintings hanging by her bed, thrown through the window. Her microwave, smashed down again and again on her chair until both decorated the floor in pieces. Her photo of Nick—

Judy stared at the framed photo. Wilde and Hopps Victorious, grinning from their first detective case, Nick radiating joy, an arm slung 'round her shoulders.

"Oh... oh no, Nick..."

Judy knelt there among the ruins of their first fight, wishing she could take it all back.


	39. The March

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot has happened since the last time I wrote one of these. Not all are gonna be like this, but... yeah.

Finnick watched from the alleyway he’d parked his van in, deep in the night’s shadows, bat clutched in trembling paws. His night vision hurt from the torches held high by the horde of prey mammals marching down the street, deer and elephants and sheep and antelopes casting twisting, grasping shadows on the watching buildings. They came from all walks of life, all ages, from all districts, gathered behind That Deer, a chant on their lips.

“No preds. No preds. No preds. No preds.”

A ZPD cruiser passed by, circling around the crowd. Finnick didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.


	40. The Statue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 10 points to anyone who gets the crossover.

Judy had never seen a statue like it before; at least, not outside a cemetery. Certainly not in the backyard of Janette Doe, whitetail deer, 29, Meadowlands District, currently missing.

"—didn't smell any narcotics in the house. I did catch something else, a cat sorta smell, plus a few orange hairs. We should see if she had any tiger friends."

Judy perked an ear at Nick's recounting of his solo look through the house, but otherwise remained focused on the statue. It was a gazelle, she decided, dressed in a plain robe, its wings tight against its back and both hands raised to hide its eyes. That was an odd choice. Judy remembered her Pop-Pop telling stories that angel statues were always built with their eyes uncovered, but she couldn't remember why...

"Hey Carrots, check this out. I think I got a footprint."

Judy looked away from the statue.


	41. Parting Moments

It was a steady rain, and a freezing-cold one, and Nick’s smile was inviting beneath the umbrella large enough for two mammals in their size range.

“Thanks.”

“My pleasure. So, my place or yours?”

She elbowed his side, just hard enough to elicit a small wince, not enough to make the fox drop his smile. The pair strolled across the plaza, chatting at everything and nothing, enjoying the simple pleasure of the rain drumming off the umbrella.

“Clawhauser’s betting we’ll be detectives by year’s end.”

“Well, he’s also betting we’ll be married by year’s end, so…”

“You don’t say?”

Judy saw Nick off at the station, watching the fox watch her until his train turned off for his District, then sat on a bench for her train. Idly, listening to the rain drum against the station’s glass ceiling, she noticed he’d left the umbrella for her.

“Oh, my dumb fox.”


	42. Star Furs

Judy’s gleeful shriek silenced Bucky and Pronk’s next-door arguing. Nick watched, feeling a well-earned smugness as his girlfriend hopped and danced around him, ears flopping. “YOU GOT THEM, YOU GOT THEM, YOU GOT THEM!”

“Sure I did,” he replied, holding up the pair of tickets. “I know everybody. Two tickets, reserved seating, tonight’s 40th anniversary screening of Star Furs, just like you—”

Judy’s leap came sudden. Nick caught her around the waist, stumbled backward as arms circled his neck and lips pressed hungrily to his. Tickets forgotten, they fell onto the bed and “Used the Force” all afternoon long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And a happy 40th anniversary to one of the greatest franchises of all time! I'll leave it to your variably-rated imaginations what "using the Force" might entail for this pair of nerds.


	43. Remember

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those who paid the ultimate price.

Judy found him early morning, up in Zootopia’s war cemetery. She made her way slowly up the hill near the center of the predator section, stopping a few paces away to give the fox at the top his space. He stood a lone sentry up there in his dress blues, his only company a headstone and a tree drifting cherry blossoms onto the scene.

For a while, Judy waited, studying, content to hang back. As with all else, she trusted her partner to share when he was ready. He looked almost there, beside the headstone, posture relaxed, hands behind his back, tail swishing, ears perked. He had to know she was there. That he didn’t object brought her a smile.

Eventually the fox nodded, patting the headstone once before turning away. Without a word shared between them, Judy took Nick’s hand in hers. Together they started back down the hill.


	44. Old Man Bogo

Mason Bogo sat on the edge of his bed, half-listening to the news channel illuminating the bedroom as he rolled the ZPD badge in his hand. His knees ached. And his back. And his shoulders. And his wrists.

A bus had been shot up somewhere.

Even in that dim lighting, he should’ve been able to read the words on the badge better.

The new head of the city council stood in front of some local business, shaking hooves with his fellow deer and smiling for the cameras.

Bogo’s knees screamed as he stood and began dressing. Long work day ahead.


	45. What Friends Are For

"Looking good, Ben! Let's break for a minute."

Joyous to give his legs a rest, Clawhauser immediately half-collapsed against the nearest park bench. He focused on breathing, heaving for air, shameless regarding other morning joggers. At a tapping on his hip he remembered other necessities, mumbling a breathless thanks to Judy as he took out and half-emptied his water bottle.

For a while the pair stayed there, mammal-watching, Clawhauser now pacing out his sips. Judy stayed peaceably quiet, embarrassing in her patience. Clawhauser hated using so much of it. But then... it had been the reason he'd gone to her for help starting an exercise habit.

"Thanks again for all this, Judes."

She shrugged, slid her bottle back into its holster. "It's what friends are for. Good for another lap?"

To anyone else, Clawhauser would've said no. But this was Judy. Pushing yourself around her was as easy as breathing.


	46. Pops

“Mind passing me that corn there, Nick?”

“Sure thing, Pops.”

Nick didn’t realize what he’d even said until, with a start, all activity along the vast dining room table came to a stop. Hopps family members of every age turned to gape at the lone fox among them, more attention than he had ever received in his life. Some nudged their neighbors and pointed. Others whispered among themselves. One or two frowned. To Nick’s immediate left, Judy looked ready to grab his arm and flee if things turned old-fashioned. To her left, Bonnie had a hand over her mouth. Past her, Stu was…

…Grinning, surprise in his eyes turning to an unfamiliar warmth. “Ya know, I’m still waiting on that corn, son.”

Nick fought hard not to sniffle, the bunnies returning to their meals around him gone blurry as he grabbed the bowl and passed it along. “Y-yeah, um, sure.”


	47. Surprise

"Dear God..."

The assignment had been simple. A backwater town, dying, a fifth of its population disappearing overnight, including both its cops. Go in, investigate as best as possible, keep law and order until permanent replacements were found.

"Nick, come on, we've gotta get to a landline, call in professionals..."

“Coming…”

The weird panther jumping along rooftops and powerlines had only been the first oddity. Arms lying in streets, disappearances dating back decades, animatronics abandoned in the woods, dreams of a ghostly Bunnyburrow—

Judy staggered out of the mineshaft, heaving for fresh winter air. "The Hell's wrong with Possum Springs!?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably kind of a confusing one, I know. Just wanted to give a little tribute to my favorite video game of 2017, as well as just one of my favorite video games, period. Two thumbs up to anyone who knows it!


	48. Safety

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, so sorry for the long disappearance, friends. Had my first convention as a vendor recently, selling my fantasy novel Legends of Heraldale. Then I was focusing on finishing the draft for its sequel. With all that out of the way now, planning to get back to my favorite movie and its awesome fandom, starting here!

What little remained of the Meadowlands homestead was a burnt-out wreck, blackened wood and brick crumbling inward on itself, parched grass glittering with broken glass from blown-out windows. Nick’s nose burned from the smoke and gunpowder and, worst of all, cooked meat and burnt wool.

“You always get a couple idiots like this,” said Francine, senior officer on the scene, leading Nick and Judy around the first responders picking through the remains. “Get excited around the holiday, grab the biggest fireworks they can, legality be damned, store them improperly…”

Francine didn’t sound like she liked this. Judy, silent, didn’t look like she liked this. Nick knew he didn’t like this. There was no crime here, no real victim or perpetrator, just some dumb ram not knowing what he was doing. Two years ago, Nick might’ve scammed a prey just like this, but now…

“Come on.” A paw on Judy’s shoulder, turning back to their squad car. “Better start on that paperwork.”


	49. Like Magic

The realization came slowly to Judy Hopps. A lingering paw on an arm or back. A smile easily given and easily returned. Late-night movies, dinner, park strolls. Invitations to family gatherings, holidays, weddings, just any ol’ free weekend.

That was the best of it, how eagerly her family accepted him into their lives. She’d find him texting recipes with Bonnie, or swapping embarrassing anecdotes with one of a hundred siblings happy to share. If there was anyone happier about all of this than her, it was him. How his eyes lit up with every ding of his phone. Like… magic.

“Hey, Nick?” She bit her lip as he looked up from the paperwork he’d been sorting, one ear quirked quizzically. That calmed her, made her smile. “I love you.”

His eyes grew wide, before a toothy smile stole over his face, tail thumping against his chair as it wagged uncontrollably.


	50. Girl's Night, Aborted

Carla Fangmeyer had met many different kinds of drunks in her day. It came with being a police officer. There were happy drunks, sad drunks, angry drunks, horny drunks, sloppy drunks, sleepy drunks. Judy Hopps... was a drunk all her own.

"I'm a total trash mammal!"

Carla ignored the looks from other mammals enjoying Saturday night, steering the minuscule bunny back to the tiger's car. Girls' night out might need some fine tuning, apparently.

“Carla, do you… do you think Nick likes me? I really like him…”

“I’m sure he does, Hopps. Now come on, home we go.” Carla opened the passenger door, offering a paw to help that, after a moment’s swaying in space, Judy accepted with a hiccup. “That’s my girl.”

“Not a… girl…” Judy yawned as Carla secured her seatbelt. “I’m a… real cop…zzz…”

Taking her driver’s seat, Carla shook her head, chuckled, smiled. “You sure are.”


	51. Fox Proposal

Marian Wilde stood at the sink, baffled by the bunny beside her. Then she frowned. "Come again, Officer Hopps?"

The Rabbit, already looking like she regretted asking, swallowed. "H-how do, uh... foxes... propose?"

Marian glanced back at where Nick sat chatting with his dad in the family den before turning her frown into a teeth-bared glower. "I like you got my son's life back on track. I like that you're friends. But THAT is none of your business. Right?"

“Ma’am—”

“Press conferences, right?”

The Rabbit wilted, looking struck. "R-right."

Satisfied, Marian grabbed a new dish and returned to washing.


	52. Boy's Night, Success

"—so I said to him, I said Finnick, nobody's stupid enough to mistake a mouse car for a portable radio!"

The pub table erupts in laughter. Nick feels relief that, however his fellow officers felt about him his first few weeks, they appreciate the difference between a hustle and a real crime. Wolford and Fangmeyer pound their fists on the table. Francine's trumpeting her laughter. Only McHorn remains unamused by the anecdote, leant back and arms folded, just staring.

But Nick takes that in stride making sure to have another story ready the moment he hears the laughter ebbing.


	53. Panic

A wildfire of panic flared to life in Nick when he walked into their shared apartment and found Judy stuffing clothes into a suitcase. A thousand thoughts of what he could've done wrong trampled through his head, stilling when she turned to look at him with eyes red and raw from crying. "Nick... It, it's my dad. M-Mom said he was out in the fields... One of my sisters saw him co-collapse. I, I need to go…"

No more needed saying. Nick nodded, kissing her forehead before quickly getting to work on his own suitcase. A new panic settled in.


	54. Back, Baby

The moment Bellwether was squirreled away in the back of a ZPD cruiser with the rest of her goons, and her leg had been tended to by Wolford, and she and Nick had both given as complete a testimony as possible regarding how they had ended up in such a situation to uncover the truth behind the savage mammals in the first place, Judy had expected to have to plead for her old job back, beg for it, literally get on hands and knees and sob for it.

She had not expected Bogo to just toss her badge back to her with an unfamiliar smile and a “Good work, Hopps.”

Looking at the shiny copper, Judy could only think to say “But . . . I was gone so long . . .”

“It was the oddest thing,” continued Bogo, some of the other officers nearby chuckling. “Somehow, I put your resignation paperwork in the shred folder. Hope you enjoyed your vacation.”

Seeing the welcoming looks all around, feeling Nick’s paw rest on her shoulder to give a reassuring squeeze, Judy grinned and pinned the badge onto her shirt. “Not as much as I’ll enjoy being back, Sir.”


	55. I Was Hungry, Okay?

“Muffins.”

“Cupcakes.”

“No, muffins.”

“No, cupcakes.”

“Muffins have blueberries!”

“Cupcakes have frosting!”

“Muffins!”

“Cupcakes!”

“MUFFINS!”

“CUPCAKES!”

Nick loosed a scream that echoed through the ZPD lobby, sending smaller mammals scurrying and officers diving for cover. Snarling, he grabbed his shirt at the buttons and tore it away, throwing the ruined rags to the floor. “MUFFINS!”

Releasing a screech of his own to shatter the glass ceiling, Clawhauser ripped his desk from the floor and threw it aside. “CUPCAKES!”

Judy hopped over to stand triumphantly between the pair, arms raised to present a steaming, frosted delight on a plate. “CINNAMON ROLLS!”


	56. First Bad Call

Red pooled on the hotel’s bathroom floor, drenched the walls, splattered up on the mounted lights to cast the entire room in yet more red. Thick, viscous, verging on brown, clogging up the stale air with the stench of decay. Judy’s prey instincts betrayed her, heart beating faster, lungs quivering, the taste of the doe dead in the bathtub invading Judy’s mouth with every breath.

“Hopps, I . . . called it in . . .”

The doe’s eyes were open, mouth slack, Judy could just hear the scream over her own rushing blood.

“Judy?”

Stumbling, she turned and ran.


	57. Just So Good

“OHHH MA GAAAWWWWWWDDD NNNOOOOOOOO!!!”

Judy shot up from her report at her partner’s squeal, terrified, having never heard such pure anguish from the sly fox before. Spinning in her chair to see what had so struck down her cubicle partner, she paused at the sight of him hunched at his desk, tears streaming down his cheeks as he stared transfixed at his monitor. “Oh noooo . . .”

“Nick . . .?”

Sniffling, Nick turned his monitor so she could see the video of some small amphibian squeaking and doing a backflip. “Frogs are so g-good, Carrots. Just so good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by dogs, which are so good, so good, just so good, y'all.


	58. Angels

“Don’t worry, it’s okay. Nobody will hurt you now. I promise.”

The maned wolf was young, 7 or 8, hunched up deep beneath his bed and staring at Judy with wide, wet eyes, one of them bruised and bloodshot. His paw when he finally took hers trembled. She smiled brighter, slowly pulling him out. Nick stood ready with a blanket to drape over the pup’s shivering pajama-clad form. “There we go, sport, come on.”

The pup said nothing. He clung to Judy as they left the apartment, glancing only once toward his frothing, screaming father getting loaded into Fangmeyer’s cruiser.


	59. Demons

Trevor hit the pavement, hard, skidding until back met fire hydrant and drew out a cry. He tried to get up, a foot from the armored rhino that had bodily thrown him from the convenience store keeping him down.

More pressure, something cracking in the coyote, drawing out another scream, free hand pounding at the foot covering his whole chest. “You’re crushing me!”

“STOP RESISTING!”

More pressure, another crack. Trevor could barely breathe. Claws scratched at thick rhino hide. Roving eyes saw onlookers, phones out, lights on. A bunny, running over, terrified. “Please . . . help . . .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My deepest apologies to any this hits too close to home for.


	60. Sellouts

“Oh hai, Nick. Fancy meeting you here in the ZPD breakroom. What are you up to?”

“Nothing much, Carrots. I’m just sitting here and reading my favorite book of all time, Legends of Heraldale.”

“Oh! Isn’t that the fantasy novel full of engaging characters and . . .” She frowned, glancing at her script. “And ‘fantastical prose of heart-quivering power and oceanic depths of intensity?’ Oh gosh, who wrote this . . .”

“You’re darn right,” said Nick, putting on the biggest smile he could muster as he turned to nowhere in particular. “That is a fitting description of this book I am currently reading, Legends of Heraldale! Which, if you were wondering, can be bought from your favorite online retailer!”

“Wasn’t wondering that at all!” said Judy, her smile wooden and impatient, “But thanks anyway!”

Bogo huffed from his table, not looking up from his copy of Estranged. “Sellouts.”


	61. Dumb Questions Trilogy: But Why?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry for missing Wednesday, was real hectic for me. Expect the next couple to be longer to make up for that!

“Nick, I can feel you staring. What is it?”

The nervous squeak of the fox’s office chair shifting, then “It’s just . . . why do Wolford and the other wolves in the precinct only wear those ZPD shirts?”

Judy paused, turning away from the report she’d been writing up to look instead at her partner. “Huh?”

“The rhinos wear all that armor, you have that nifty little number, and everyone else wears normal uniforms. What’s up with the wolves?”

“I . . . um . . . you see . . .” Flustered, Judy hopped onto her chair to peek over at Wolford’s cubicle. “Psst, hey! Why do you and the other wolves just wear the t-shirts?”

Grinning like always, the wolf propped himself up with an elbow on his cubicle wall and looked Judy’s way. “Oh, that’s a simple one, Hopps! We do it so we can—”


	62. Dumb Questions Trilogy: But Me?

“This might be my favorite holiday! What a great time to have a day off! Hey, Nick, want a bite of this?”

Nick looked up from the plethora of Valentine’s cards he’d gotten in the mail, eyebrow rising as he regarded the bunny sharing the park bench with him. “You’re . . . offering some of that to me?”

“Yeah, this is a really great batch!”

“No, I mean, you’re asking if I would like to eat some of that?”

“Yyyeah?”

Other eyebrow rising, Nick turned to further face his partner. “Let’s take this slowly. You are offering THAT to Officer Nicholas P. Wilde, handsome fox extraordinaire?”

Judy blinked, slowly looking down at the vividly pink, heart-shaped box of chocolates currently resting in her lap. Nick watched, practically able to see the moment the gears clicked into place as her cheeks flushed and her ears dropped. “Ohhhh . . .”


	63. Dumb Questions Trilogy: But Who?

“So, which one of you tops and which one bottoms?”

Bucky spit out his mouthful of coffee, narrowly passing between Judy’s ears to hit the face of the moose one diner booth down. Pronk coughed as he briefly choked on a bite of waffle, beating at his chest with one hand while shakily giving a thumbs-up with the other and grinning. Judy, for her part, smacked her fox partner’s shoulder. “Nick! You can’t just ask something like that!”

“Whaaaat? Come on, their apartment isn’t any bigger than yours, the only way it could ever work is with a bunk bed!”


	64. Fox Down

The burrow's den was like a war zone gone quiet. Bunnies lay in heaps all across the floor and couches, some groaning as they clutched at swollen bellies, others fallen into a coma-like slumber.

The fox sprawled out in the center of the room coughed, a wavering paw reaching out to push weakly at the bunny laying across his lap. "Judy... Judy, I can't feel my toes... Juuudy..."

"If you can't handle the family gatherings," mumbled Judy, rolling over onto the fox's chest to his dismay, "stay out of the burrow, Slick..."

Nick groaned. He wouldn’t eat again for weeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by eating way too much homemade chicken & noodle soup.


	65. The Harshest Betrayal

“I can’t believe this, Nick. I can’t believe you. After everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been through—”

“What can I say, Carrots. Old habits die hard. You get what you can, when you can, and never mind anyone else.”

“Damn it, Nick, this isn’t the streets! This is the ZPD! We support each other, trust each other, and you threw that all away for . . . for . . .”

“Oh for goodness—” Nick grabbed the box from the breakroom counter and started marching for the trash can. “It was just the last donut, I’ll buy more!”


	66. Call It In 1

Fangmeyer pulled her cruiser to a stop a block from the Meadowlands convenience store, eyes flicking from the store’s entrance to the truck idling near the gas pumps, the bear at the wheel staring unblinking at the same entrance. “Adam, call it in.”

Her wolf already had the radio to his muzzle. “This is car 11, Meadowlands, Dinoco on corner of 7th and Goat. Eyes on Cassidy’s truck. Anyone else around?”

“This is McHorn and Trunkaby, en-route, two minutes.”

“Wilde-Hopps here, four minutes.”

“Roger that,” said Adam Fangmeyer, glancing at his wife as she gripped his shoulder. “Remember, no sirens.”


	67. Call It In 2

Carla had never really noticed how much smaller her husband was than her. Not on any dates, not on their wedding night, not on any of a thousand patrols and assignments.

He looked so small in front of her now, almost swallowed by the hospital bed. Had been even smaller in the convenience store, cradled in her arms, their paws desperate to keep his chest from pouring out, Wilde calling for an ambulance and McHorn beat Cassidy to death's door.

Now she sat there waiting, alone, Hopps and Wilde long gone. Adam would wake up soon. He would. He would.


	68. Call It In 3

Weaselton’s head hit the alley wall hard enough to rebound, his squawk of pain silenced by Lieutenant Bethany Blaine pinning him by the throat to the brickwork. “WHERE’S CASSIDY’S PARTNER!?”

The weasel thrashed, clawing uselessly against the hare’s armored uniform. “Don’t . . . know . . . help!”

“I hacked surveillance on his truck,” growled Honey, pacing behind Beth. “We know he met you before the store. We know he was gonna meet someone else after. Who, where, why!?”

“I don’t—”

Beth squeezed tighter. Weaselton gagged. “T-Tundratown docks! Tonight! P-pu-payment! Some cheetah! That’s all I know, I swear!”


	69. Call It In Final

Adam Fangmeyer hurt almost all over. His chest hurt. His gut hurt. His back hurt. His legs, trembling and weak beneath him as he gripped the bars tight, hurt. The bright lights of the hospital recovery ward hurt. The patronizingly calm voices of the nurses surrounding him hurt. The sterile whites of the walls hurt.

But Carla’s smile when he pushed that all aside and took a hesitant step forward, then another, that smile that reached her eyes and made Adam’s tail wag and heart race and eyes grow wet, no, that smile didn’t hurt one bit. Not one bit.


	70. Reference!

Nick watched in quiet, morbid fascination, ears splayed back at the heat of the rest of the diner turning to the source of those sickening sounds of eating. Beside him Clawhauser sat similarly shellshocked, half-finished milkshake sitting forgotten in front of the cheetah.

Maybe a Sunday brunch with coworkers hadn’t been a good idea.

Maybe they could’ve just eaten in.

Maybe . . . maybe . . .

“Maybe you should, uh . . . give some of those to Ben?”

“No,” gurgled Judy around a mouthful of syrup and regret. “Kitty gets milkshake . . . Bunny gets pancakes!”


	71. This Was Totally Worth the Wait

Bfffffrrrrt.

Nick shot up from bed, spitting and gagging. “Oh my gosh, Carrots! What hellish concoction did you eat!?”

“Oh come on, it wasn’t that—z”

The fox lurched from the bed, staggering over to open the bedroom window, still gagging. “Was it the spinach!? Was it the cabbage!? Is THIS what a herbivore diet gets you!?”

Judy hid her face behind her hands, shaking as she struggled to hold back her laughter.

“Ugh, that could gag a maggot! It’s like carrots and throw-up! It’s like hot sick, fish carcasses!”

“Nick, please, I’m crying . . .”

“Ergf, even stink would say that stinks!”

“Pfff—Nick! Hahahaha!”

Nick slid from the window to the floor, coughing, clutching his nose dramatically. “Ergh! It’s like visiting the Burrow and passing by each kitchen, wondering ‘What are they cooking?’ That, plus—”

Judy’s pillow caught him square in the face. Spitting it out, Nick finally joined his girlfriend in her laughter, all the while Bucky and Pronk wondered through the wall just how insane their neighbors were.


	72. The Camping Trip p.1

“Okay, let me just make one final counting. Wolford said no, the Fangmeyers said no, Clawhauser said yes. Bogo cleared us for a full three-day weekend. You convinced Finnick to let us use his van—”

“With his supervision, yes.”

“—we’ve got fresh tents, fresh sleeping bags, fresh clothes. I went to the store this morning for all our food, Mom mailed—”

“Carrots, Carrots, Carrots! Breathe, sweetie!” Nick tightened his arms around his bunny from behind, the pair nestled together in bed. “You’ve got it, everything’s cool. It’s just a camping trip. What’s the worst that could happen?”


	73. The Camping Trip p.2

The trip’s first hour went well. Finnick drove. Clawhauser and Nick sat in the van’s back, swearing up and down they weren’t gorging themselves on the extra pastries from Gideon’s bakery. Judy sat in the passenger seat, chatting with Fru Fru held carefully in her hands.

If only Clawhauser, reaching past to turn on the radio, had not lost balance and ripped the knob off.

If only, while over-correcting himself, he had not done the same to the volume knob.

If only it hadn’t been set to talk radio.

If only there weren’t three more hours to go.

If only.


	74. The Camping Trip p.3

The moment the van rolled to a final stop in the secluded forest clearing and the engine shut off, every door opened as the mammals leapt out to safety.

“Freedom . . . Freedom . . .”

“When we get back, daddy’s going to buy that station and trash it.”

“Not before Hefty here pays for a new radio.”

“Fin, ol’ buddy, not on a cop’s salary.”

“Guys come on!” Judy sat up and looked around at them. “It’s done, we’re here, now for fun! Hiking, and fishing, and s’mores, and oh my God Clawhauser you’re lying in poison ivy!”


	75. The Camping Trip p.4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, switching to Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday updates. Enjoy!

“Camping will be relaxing. Get away from work a while. Dumb bunny . . .”

From his side of the tent they were struggling with, Nick growled. “Hey, only I get to call her that.”

Between them the flexible rod meant to keep the tent’s dome shape rose, lifting the tent with it. Finnick straddled his wavering end. "Dumb. Bunny.”

“Finn, I’m warning ya . . .”

Finnick edged forward, one hand struggling to hold the flexed rod in place, the other grasping for the last hook to secure pole and tent together. “Dumb bun—”

The flexed rod between his legs slipped. Finnick had a moment to realize his position—

THWACK!

Finnick stayed still for a moment, eyes locked with Nick’s. Very slowly, he stepped away from the still-quivering pole and dropped to his knees. The sound of a dying fox reached his ears. It might have been him.


	76. The Camping Trip p.5

“Stupid, stupid sensitive rabbit ears. You better have some wipes or something in your pockets!”

“Meh, leaves will do the trick.”

Judy groaned, dropping her paws from her too-sensitive ears and turning. She eeped at the sight of Nick leaving his choice of bathroom bushes, carrying leaves now along with campfire wood. “Oh gosh, Nick, you—”

"Stopping you right there, Carrots," said Nick, holding a paw up. "A country gal like you might fool most city slickers, but I’ve still got my scouting handbook." Smirking, he brandished the bundle in his arms. "Not poison ivy, just leaves that fell from a tree."

Judy sighed and rolled her eyes. "Actually, ‘city slicker’, you have a spider crawling up your right shoulder."

Nick looked at the indicated shoulder. His ears folded back. His mouth opened—

***

Bogo looked up from his paperwork, sure he heard a faint, impossibly shrill screaming. "Wilde?"


	77. The Camping Trip p.6

Fru Fru wished she could be enjoying her time sunbathing beside the river. If only her ears weren’t ringing from that strange scream earlier and the fennec fox and cheetah weren’t wallowing miserably in the river.

“Ugh. This is pointless. Come on, you two. Back to camp.”

“Nuh-uh. Soaking. Dun’ wanna itch.”

“. . . eeeeeeekekekek . . .”

Fru Fru rolled her eyes. “Such wimps. Seriously, you’ll wrinkles staying there any longer and that’ll be terrible for your complexion.”

“But the water feels so goooood . . .”

“But paaaiiin . . .”

“Oh, hush up, both of you. We’ll all feel better once we get some food in our bellies, I promise.”

Grumbling, the pair slowly stood up from the water. Fru Fru began smiling, freezing at the multitude of leeches hanging from them. Her mouth opened—

***

Judy looked up from her hyper-ventilating fox, ears perked. “Fru?”


	78. The Camping Trip p.7

Judy had never seen such a pathetic gaggle of mammals gathered around the campfire, bruised and shivering and recounting their various traumas. Spiders. Leeches. Crotch shots. Public radio. Her guilt grew as the telling continued.

“Listen, guys, maybe we should just pack up and head back to Zootopia.”

“No!”

They looked as one to Fru Fru, surprised by the shout. The shrew huffed and hopped from her log seat, clambering up Finnick’s van to stand atop it and look down at them all. “We are not being beaten by a dumb forest! We are ZPD officers! Street-tough thugs! Mafia heiresses!”

“Yeah—wait,” started Clawhauser. “What was that last one?”

Fru Fru continued her squeaky, rousing speech. “We are tough, vigilant, resourceful! We are going to eat s’mores, tell campfire stories, and not worry about one more—”

A hawk flew down, grabbed the shrew in its talons, and flew off.


	79. The Camping Trip p.8

Evening had arrived when Judy, Nick, Clawhauser, and Finnick trudged back into camp, eyes wide with trauma and coats filthy from their search. Without a word, they climbed back into Finnick’s van.

“I’ve seen some bad stuff on the streets,” said Finnick after a minute’s silence. “Done some bad stuff too. But that… damn, man, just…”

Clawhauser’s voice trembled with tears. “I took a permanent desk job after seeing less awful stuff than that…”

Nick remained quiet, staring at his hands, seeing horrors only he could see.

“Oh Fru Fru…” Judy hiccupped, sniffling and wiping at tear-stained cheeks. “Fru Fru… bird beaks aren’t supposed to bend that way!”

Perched atop Judy’s head, the shrew continued picking at her teeth. “What do I care? It tried to eat me! Why wouldn’t I try eating it back?”

“And that,” said Finnick, starting the engine, “is just the right note to end on.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Going on a bit of a hiatus after this, friends. Need to focus on finishing up this novel I'm working on, then it will be back to the Zootopia shenanigans!


	80. The Return

“Hopps, Wilde, Clawhauser, welcome back this fine Monday morning. Just in time for roll call. But first, something I wanted to discuss. It occurs to me several of my officers are severally slacking in their survival and environmental training. This isn’t something I can let slide. Hopps, I’ll be having you and Wilde lead teams bi-weekly to a specially-selected camping ground to—”

***

Stu Hopps nearly dropped the last box of morning produce for the roadside vegetable stand on his foot. Looking around, he saw Bonnie similarly confused, while nearby, Gideon Grey was holding his ears in pain. “Judy?”


	81. SNAP

“C-Carrots? I don’t feel so good . . .”

Judy looked from the coffee mug she was refilling in the precinct’s breakroom to the fox beside her, the smart remark dying on her lips as he turned to ashen dust before her eyes. Her mug shattered on the floor. “NICK!”

“Hopps, what—”

Delgato turned to ash and drifted away across the breakroom, Francine beside him following moments later. Judy couldn’t find her words as she backed away, out of the room, out into the ZPD foyer. All around, mammals were crumpling to dust, cops and civilians alike. Bogo. Clawhauser. McHorn. The Ottertons, come to identify Weaselton as their store’s vandalizer.

It ended with as little warning as it began, leaving mammals weeping, desperately calling loved ones on their phones, Wolford trying to organize the remaining officers. Judy, her smartphone ringing, finally found her voice. “Oh God . . .”


	82. Aggressive Judith

Judy almost quit, her first few days in the ZPD. Chief Bogo was rude, uncaring, and downright cruel. Her fellow officers, aside from Clawhauser, were apathetic at best, whispering behind her back, stuffing her locker with doll clothing, acting as if she was invisible instead of just very small compared to them.

Judy would have quit . . . had she not discovered the karaoke bar just three blocks from her apartment.

“Let’s see. Door secure. Food dropped off. Music selected.” Judy closed her eyes. Took a deep breath. Brought the mic to her lips—

**“I NEED A BIG CAAAAAAAAASE!!!!!!”**


	83. Th-that's Lewd

“Jack? What is . . . this?”

Jack Savage looked up from his paperwork to see his fiancée, Judy, padding into his office, brow furrowed as she thumbed through a folder. Jack had just recognized the folder when—

“Ahem. ‘She had never imagined a fox’s teeth could be so gentle as they nibbled along her neck, a gasp escaping her as his luxurious tail curled between her legs to brush against—’ o-oh, oh my . . .”

Judy blushed. Jack thought his face was going to catch fire at any moment. For almost a minute, neither said anything, only looking at each other, wondering the other’s thoughts. Eventually, Judy cleared her throat again. “Now, dear, I can’t say it’s normal for guys to ship their girlfriends with their work partners . . .”

Jack felt like fainting.

“Buuuut . . . if Nick’s interested . . .”

Jack fainted.


	84. Quiet Night

Nick couldn’t sleep. He lay in the guest bed provided to him by the Hopps, staring at the ceiling and listening. He wasn’t a rabbit, but fox ears worked just fine. The sounds of the Burrow settling from the holiday activities greeted hm like a new but enthusiastic friend.

Countless heartbeats distant through the walls.

Singing and laughter from a late-night kitchen down the hall.

Little paws pitter-pattering through the halls a floor down, Bonnie hurrying after, laughing even as she admonished the ne’er-do-wells.

The soft snoring of the rabbit curled against his side.

Nick smiled, closed his eyes, content.


	85. Luncheon

Morning had been good. Peaceful streets, no calls, nothing worse than some verbose graffiti on Main. Lunch had been the same, until Wolford marched into the baker, took a look around, and visibly slumped at the sight of the two of them. “Oh, for God’s sake.”

A capybara nearer the door commented, loudly, that there must’ve been some law against impersonating an officer. Wolford’s hackles raised. Nick stiffened in his seat, his paw quickly going for Judy’s. She took it, squeezing, not letting go until Wolford had finished THOROUGHLY explaining to the caller how much of his time she’d wasted.


	86. Welcome to Bugburga

“Welcome to Bugburga, home of the Bugburger, can I take your order?”

Nick leaned on the counter, shooting the wolverine at the register a blush-inducing smile. “Hey, handsome. I’ll have the double-deluxe, large fries, hold the mayo. My pal here will have . . . Ben?”

“Uuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—”

A moment passed. Another. Nick coughed, looked over at Clawhauser standing there, staring up at the menu. “Ben?”

“Ummmmmmmmmmmmm—”

“Triple combo,” said Nick, turning back to the wolverine with a sigh. “He’ll have the triple combo.”

“Excellent. For here or to go?”

“Uuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—”

Nick banged his face against the counter.


	87. Forgetting Something

“Okay, gang! Time for the final checklist check for this, the first Wilde-Hopps Clan Vacation Extraordinaire! Luggage!”

“Check!” answered Nick from Judy’s right.

“Snacks!”

“Check!” Alex called out next from the seat behind Judy, the wolf for once not keeping his snout buried in a book.

“Phones and chargers!”

“Check!”

“Wallets!”

“Check!”

“House keys!”

“Check!”

“Toiletries!”

“Check!”

“Books and maps!”

“Checkity check, Carrots!”

“Sense of adventure!”

“In my other pants, Mom!”

“Excellent! Then we are off!”

Nothing happened, the minivan remaining stationary and off. A few seconds more and Judy looked down to where she’d been trying to turn the key in the ignition, only to find her paw grasping empty air.

Not saying a word, Judy unbuckled, hopped out of the vehicle, and began the long walk back to their house for the car keys. She could feel the laughter-choked stares of the fox and wolf the whole way.


	88. Sounds in the Dark

Fru Fru awoke to the sound of something slithering almost-silent through her doll home. She forced the animal panic away, hitting the panic button beside the bed, rolling over to shake her husband’s shoulder. “Joey. Joey. Take Judy to the closet, hurry.”

“Hm—ugh—wh-what?”

“Judy, the closet, now!”

Finally hearing her urgency, Joey rolled to his feet, scooping little Judy from her bedside crib and, with a look Fru Fru’s way, hurriedly hiding in their bedroom closet.

The slithering drew nearer. Fru Fru stood. Shook her hair from her eyes. Drew from beneath the bed a spear.

A hiss from behind. Fru Fru looked, beheld a pair of slit eyes gleaming from the shadows of her bedroom door, forked tongue tasting the air. Her grip tightened.

***

The guards arrived to find the snake dead, Fru Fru bloodied but alive. Mr. Big gave only one command. “Find the owner.”


	89. Conflict

“Damn it, Hopps, this situation is getting out of control! Mammals are dropping dead in every district, and more are simply disappearing!”

“I . . . I am aware, sir. My partner and I are nearing a lead on the attempted murder of Fru Fru Big, I promise you.”

“You better be, Hopps. You’re . . . unique, relationship to the Big Family has been tolerated so far, but sooner or later, City Hall will want to throw SOMEONE under the bus, and your name’s right at the top of that list! Reign the Bigs in or find their target before they turn this entire city upside-down! AM. I. CLEAR?”

Judy clenched her fists tighter at her sides. She could feel Nick staring at her, the warmth and worry radiating from him, but she refused to break her gaze from Bogo’s. “Crystal clear, sir. I will do whatever it takes.”


	90. Ultimatum

“This can’t go on, Fru Fru. I want the mammal that tried killing your family taken down more than anything, but your father needs to STOP. The ZPD has never been able to pin anything on him. That’s going to change, soon. Don’t let that happen to your family, please.”

The shrew remained in her office seat, head resting on a fist, expression a mask of boredom as she looked down at Judy and Nick. “Was that a threat, officer?”

Judy swallowed. “A plea. We have a lead. A name. Let us follow it, please.”

The shrew’s eyes narrowed. She leaned forward. “The name. What is it?”

Judy perked up. “You’ll talk to your father about—”

Fru Fru slammed her fist down, her polar bear guards stepping forward. “The NAME, Judy! As my child’s godmother, what’s the bastard’s name!?”

“Savage,” said Nick, taking Judy’s choice away. “His name’s Savage.”


	91. Savage

It is 11:55. Savage walks the park, suitcase in one hand, smartphone and his alleged employer in the other. The Bigs have been in Little Rodentia for five minutes.

It is 12. Savage idles near an entrance, sets his suitcase down, wanders away. A button in his suit sleeve remotely opens the case. The half-dozen trained snakes contained within slither out, straight into the feast that is Little Rodentia.

It is 12:05. Savage takes a seat in his favorite café, ordering his favorite tea as sirens wail in the distance.

It is 12:10. Savage calls his real employer. “It’s done.”


	92. Traitor

Koslov knew he wasn’t alone the moment he opened his apartment door. Stepping further in, he reached for the revolver in his suit holster.

The lights flicked on. Fru Fru stood on the kitchen counter.

Before Koslov could say anything, a wave of weakness came over him. He crashed to his knees, shaking, heaving dinner onto the floor. “Wh-what—”

“Poison. On the doorknob. A lingering death. I want to know WHY you told Savage I’d be in Little Rodentia. You think, with his family dead, Father would pass the business on to YOU?”

Koslov fell onto his side, words becoming a struggle. “You . . . turned traitor. Giving away secrets. N-na-naming names. Pu-p-pushing for . . . legitimacy . . . the Savages prom . . . PROMISED . . .”

Silence. Stillness. Fru Fru looked down at her foolish old bodyguard, refusing the tears heating her eyes.


	93. Conspiracy

Dawn drove, fresh from prison, out to the forests beyond Zootopia, grinning as the radio played the news.

“—sentencing for the murder of Aleksander Koslov begins in June. Former ZPD Officer Judy Hopps, a known associate of the Bigs, is rumored to be testifying—”

The campgrounds were empty, that time of year. Dawn found the Savages easily enough. There were four of them. A rabbit, a hare, a llama, and a kangaroo. They wore matching black suits, regarding Dawn coolly as she approached.

“So,” spoke the rabbit, “you’re out, as promised.”

Dawn nodded. Once Hopps had come forward regarding her use of Big to uncover Dawn’s plot, the lawyers had had a field day.

“The Night Howler formula, then, if you will.”

“I spoke with Doug on the way. He’ll have it for you within the hour.” And here Dawn couldn’t resist her curiosity regarding those who had helped arrange her freedom. “I see city council ahead for me. What were you planning to do, with the Bigs gone, and . . . that formula?”

Here, at last, the rabbit smiled. “Everything the Bigs were too old-fashioned to do, my curious friend. Nature, after all, abhors a vacuum.”


End file.
